Your Body is a Battleground
by Lady-Hoshigaki
Summary: Even s-ranked criminals occasionally show weakness. Rated M. Cover image "kisaita kiss" by Jessi-Mini on DeviantArt
1. Chapter 1

**Your Body is a Battleground**

(Dedicated to all who've been captivated by the complexity, beauty, and darkness of two characters, and then felt the need to ship them.)

 _"_ _I once had an understanding that everything would go my way_

 _But now we've come too far along for me to hold on to my own beliefs_

 _I'm not in it for the fun of it but for the pain_

 _I'm not at all interested in your temporary fame_

 _I just want to see you stare_

 _As I lay my soul bare for you_

 _to crush upon with heavy feet_

 _I'm in it for the beat…" –_ Delain, _Here Come the Vultures_

Blood.

The crimson, metallic, bitter liquid travelled down the ill Uchiha's wrist as he uncontrollably coughed, vomiting copious amounts of into his hand, all over himself and onto the floor, the separate puddles soon forming into one, becoming an evil, vauge, vanity mirror for him to gaze upon his blurred, unhealthy reflection.

His coughing seized just long enough for him to open his damaged eyes and glance down at the man who resided within the puddle, the frame decorated with scattered pills and other various medications. He made contact with his own nearly-blind eyes, those faded, cloudy orbs longing to weep, although having long forgotten how. Itachi once again had to face reality, the truth he could no longer deny.

He was dying.

The darkened, lonely room that surrounded him had become quite cold during that time of the night, due to him being unable to even muster the strength to walk the three paces to adjust the temperature. Every inch of his skin that remained exposed from the clothes he adorned was chilled to the bone. As he began another coughing fit into the fabric of his sleeve, the regurgitated blood warmed the freezing skin it came in contact with, in a nearly comforting way.

Pleasant as the hot fluid was, the pain caused by his overworked diaphragm had become too much to bear. The Uchiha instantly let go of every muscle keeping him up off the ground in his kneeling position, gravity against him as his head lead the rest of his frail body directly onto the hardwood floor with a small thud.

Pain flooded through him in place of chakra. This was the first time Itachi Uchiha had ever allowed himself to become so weak, so helpless. The illness had certainly taken its toll on him throughout the years, to the extent it was at that dire moment.

As he lie there, facing the underside of the bed on that cold, unforgiving floor, his mind began to wander back in time, to the few but happiest moments of his young life with his precious younger brother.

"S…sa…"

Not long after he tried to utter the name of the only person left in the world whom he truly loved, he began to spew even more of his lifeblood.

Although his suffering was great, his will to live still outweighed the sweet, desirable temptation to die. It was of most importance to remain alive; to live just long enough to face Sasuke in the younger Uchiha's battle for revenge. To be killed by his brother's hand. Sasuke would never guess, nor ever would he know, that Itachi loved him. He loved him more than life itself, more than anything, more than himself.

Because of that great love, he hid the truth of the Uchiha massacre from him. His true intentions to protect Konoha would never be discovered, in order to preserve his precious Sasuke's life. Even though it meant lying to him, twisting him, and forcing him to hate him more than anything…

He was going to protect Sasuke and die by his hand, no matter what.

The light of the moon leaked through the glass of the large, partially open window, bestowing its luminosity upon the weakened Uchiha. He faintly returned its gaze.

The ratio of blood outside his body to blood inside his body was dangerously unbalanced, and his chakra was all but nonexistent. Although he desired to live, he was in no place to regain the energy required to move.

His eyelids became heavy. The lack of blood partnered with the immense pain he bore gradually overpowered his consciousness. As he relaxed more of his body, his eyes began to close…perhaps for a final time…

" _Sasuke…"_

 **{End of chapter one.**

 **In the next chapter, a visit from a certain missing-nin formerly of the Hidden Mist...**

 **Characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, story birthed from my mind.}**


	2. Chapter 2

Kisame awoke instantly.

He had sensed it even before Samehada, the living, chakra-devouring blade, which was just barely peaking out from its wraps due to the disturbing alarm.

 _"_ _Itachi!"_

Within milliseconds, he had torn off his heavy blankets, broken down the door and dashed down the hall of the quiet inn, rushing with speed comparable to the Yellow Flash of Konoha to locate his destination. Something was wrong, _very_ wrong.

He sensed that Itachi's chakra level had dropped excruciatingly low, almost completely. As an Uchiha, Itachi usually had a very impressive level of chakra, even when he was weary, making the current situation dramatically dire.

Kisame held his breath as he ran, preparing himself for whatever danger would be waiting behind the door of Itachi's room.

 _"_ _Have we been discovered by the enemy? Has Itachi been defeated?"_

Suddenly, the original mission to lay low before kidnapping the next Juubi was completely irrelevant. It no longer mattered. Without Itachi, it was impossible regardless, but more than that, Kisame was frightened.

Kisame, the Monster of the Hidden Mist, an ex-member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, the Tailed Beast without a Tail, was frightened. If Itachi truly had been defeated, who could have been the culprit? How did he not sense the enemy? Is he still alive? Various questions maelstromed throughout his racing mind as an unsheathed Samahada was crawling desperately behind him to catch up with the raging shinobi.

At last he reached the door he desired. Wielding Samehada, he thrust it open, ready to sprint at a possible enemy, his signature sharp teeth being the feature of his hateful scowl as he looked upon the scene. He was completely prepared for a fight, even to kill, but he was not prepared for what he saw.

Samehada was dropped onto floor.

Itachi awoke, the ruckus shooting a small burst of energy through him. As he lay there on the ground, covered in his own blood, he attempted to curl himself up as though he was sleeping. Rather than acknowledge his partner, regardless of the pain, he decided to fool him. His weakness was affecting his judgement however, as the obvious crimson stains on his clothing as well as the ground were quite noticeable. He did not want Kisame seeing him in that weakened state, as he was unaware of Itachi's illness. Strange as it was, he felt somewhat embarrassed. The foolproof plan was foiled, however, by yet another series of bloody coughing.

As predicted, the shark man wasn't fooled. He ignored Samehada's whine, quickly kneeling at Itachi's side, carefully analyzing the strange and unexpected situation. There was never an enemy. He took notice of the medications, the blood, and most importantly, Itachi's health. Before any words would be spoken by either of the two, Kisame carefully scooped up his weakened partner in his large, masculine arms, careful not to risk any harm to him.

Itachi couldn't help but spit out another mouthful of blood as he was being relocated to the bed, where Kisame began to rapidly borrow chakra from Samehada and transfer it into Itachi's body, via his hand on his bare chest.

"Itachi…"

Kisame's brows furrowed, at first in confusion, which gradually became sorrow the longer he analyzed what was happening. Itachi was indeed very close to death, but not because of a battle. He looked upon the fragile state of his partner's ill form, the sight so strange and unfathomable, he was unsure of what to make of it. For a brief moment, he replaced himself with Samehada to fetch medical supplies from the bathroom. Returning with plenty of water, towels, proper medicine and so on, he continued to focus chakra into Itachi's inner wounds while he gently cleaned the blood from his skin with a wet towel. Eventually, Itachi was just healthy enough to remain conscious.

Kisame placed an arm around his partners neck as he carefully sat him up, placing more pillows behind him to keep him upright. Itachi's clouded eyes met with Kisame's worried ones, confirming that he now knew the truth about his condition. He attempted to clear blood from his throat to speak, but was unsuccessful.

"It's alright, Itachi."

He felt a warm hand on the nape of his neck, lifting his head back gently as a cup was brought to his lips. He gradually sipped at the medicated water, his energy returning with each swallow. After he finished, he turned his head to his blue-skinned comrade, expecting some sort of clever response to what he had just seen. Instead, he was met with a look of sincere worry.

Kisame sat back in his seat, though continuing to provide Itachi a steady stream of chakra. Itachi averted his gaze from him.

"This…" Itachi began, "…you weren't supposed to see this."

Kisame leaned in a little closer, as if to get a better understanding of the normally indifferent, powerful Uchiha, who was now, unbelievably, at the weakest he had ever seen him. This was a man who he had seen take down some of the strongest shinobi who had ever lived, and now, he was bedridden. As he thought this, however, he realized that he himself was acting strange also, caring so much. In an attempt to lighten the mood, he replied:

"So, you're sick, eh? Heh, who would have thought? Guess you might not have a spot here in Akatsuki for much longer."

It was soon evident to Kisame that his response wasn't well-received. He expected to get the same, unimpressed Uchiha glare he always had, but this occasion was different. Itachi showed emotion.

In fact, as he continued to look away, his eyes filled up with tears.

 **{End of Chapter two.}**


	3. Chapter 3

Itachi Uchiha, the man who had murdered his entire kin, the man who joined the most powerful criminal organization known to society, the man who every day killed mercilessly… was crying. He didn't utter a sound, shiver, or quiver his lip, his tears simply streamed silently down his cheeks and neck, causing the equally powerful man tending to him to acquire more doubt about reality than he had ever thought possible.

If there was ever one thing that Kisame Hoshigaki knew to be an undeniable truth, it was this: The world is full of nothing but lies. Ever since he had first become a shinobi of Kirigakure and was forced to kill a comrade, he had questioned his entire existence. Ultimately, he concluded that his life was nothing but one giant lie, composed of many. This philosophy of his was the very reason he joined Akatsuki. Madara Uchiha's Moon's Eye Plan, the plot to supposedly rid the world of all lies, evil, and death, greatly seduced him. Perhaps one day, he would know a world without deceit, a world where he could discover true happiness. Until that day, however, his philosophy would remain constant. Especially now, as he gazed upon Itachi's tears with pure disbelief.

This had to be a lie, a joke, a genjutsu, a trip, but it was not. Itachi was truly weeping, right in front of Kisame's eyes. Never in his wildest dreams would he have ever thought to one day witness this rare and awkward event. The last time he saw a grown man cry, he was about to kill him, but this was very, very different. Even everyday shinobi are trained to keep their emotions at bay, and to never reveal any hidden information freely. Crying is intolerable in the shinobi world. It is weakness.

Certainly, if Itachi had been any other person in the world, Kisame would start mocking them, laugh at them, even beat them if he felt the need, however, the thought of doing any of that failed to get his minds attention. All that he could ponder to do in that moment, was nothing. He was speechless. He almost began to think " _Was my joke really that bad?",_ until seemingly out of nowhere, a sudden, painful pounding flooded his bosom. His heart was racing.

The sight of the Uchiha showing such powerful emotion somehow permitted the other missing-nin to notice his own emotions, something that rarely ever occurred.

Samehada peaked its "head" up over the bedframe, looking back and forth from its master to its master's partner, unsure of what to conclude from the situation. Kisame's own chakra had also considerably weakened because of the amount he was transferring to Itachi, and although it was clearly affecting him, his thoughts were lingering elsewhere. The living sword lended its hilt to him and let him absorb the last of its chakra as it gradually became still, falling asleep in a curled, canine-like position.

Although only mere minutes had passed, to Kisame it had felt like hours. Both the Uchiha and the Tailless Tailed Beast remained silent, seemingly frozen in time. The sound of Itachi's fist curling around the hilt of a kunai he had recovered from the boxspring of the bed was what eventually broke the silence, forcing Kisame to snap back into reality.

The weakened prodigy was no longer weeping, rather, he appeared to be somewhat angry. He elevated the kunai parallel to Kisame's chest, then opened his eyes, revealing his sharingan as he locked his gaze with his caretaker. Though he tried to hide it, his hand minimally shook as he aimed the weapon toward his target.

"Kisame," he began in a normal, dark tone, "Leave. Forget what you've seen, and leave. I'm well enough to kill you…" He slightly crossed his brows in an effort to seem intimidating, since his words were considerably far from the truth. Simply using the sharingan was taking quite a bit of effort, especially as he used his manipulation technique. There was another brief silence before Kisame felt his body acting on its own, forcing him to stand up out of his seat. A bead of sweat travelled down the Uchiha's pulsing temple.

Again, the former Kiri shinobi was not fooled by his words. Rather than do what was suggested of him, he easily pried the kunai from Itachi's hand and threw it across the room, hitting the direct center of a picture frame on the back wall. After being his companion for many years, Kisame had learned to avoid the sharingan like the plague, and had become quite skilled in the art of keeping invaders from his mind, and was therefore able to resist further control. Itachi did not seem to be surprised that his attempt to force his partners absence failed. The honest truth was that he didn't want Kisame to leave him at all. He knew he was weak. He knew that Kisame knew he was weak as well, yet the mask he so often wore to conceal his pure heart could not be removed, especially for his teammate. He was dying and he was fragile, however, the life he led required him to hide his true feelings from anyone, at any cost. Even from himself, if he could help it. He had quite the disadvantage at this moment, as he had already cried and proved himself wrong on multiple occasions, but he wasn't going to let that keep him from fooling Kisame enough to disguise his true self.

But he wasn't fooling anyone. Deep down, Kisame often wanted to do the very same thing, to be honest with himself and let his emotions flow freely, if only a little. However, the life of an assassin could never possibly permit that. He and Itachi both had a reputation to keep, so for Itachi to be so weak was surely unacceptable.

 _"_ _But…why?"_

For the first time, Kisame began to question this particular part of the harsh reality they shared. Of course they were ninja, and of course they were perceived as powerful and evil, but why did that matter then, at that current moment? They were alone. Technically, they could be anything they wanted to be, and act any way they truly wanted to act. Yet, regardless of that, they automatically adhered to the mission at hand, even when nothing could intercept them from doing otherwise. There was usually quite a bit of down time between missions, when they could leave discreetly to wherever they wanted, undisturbed by their leader. But for some unknown reason, they never did. The cruelness of the world had forged them into human weapons, unfeeling and interested in nothing but what they were permitted to know. Was that the case for all shinobi? Even though the ultimate mission of Akatsuki was to bring the Moon's Eye Plan into effect, thus creating a world of perfect happiness, were they still to remain subject to the laws of the shinobi world? The world which they had all fought against and escaped?

No. There was no reason for them to continue to act as puppets and keep themselves from being human. Not when it wasn't necessary. There was no logic in that whatsoever.

Itachi had said to Kisame during their first encounter 'We are not fish, we're human', in response to the tidbit of information he gave him about shark pups eating one another in the womb and relating it to his philosophy of life, which was 'the weak are meat, the strong eat'. He still believed that, but seeing Itachi in the state he was allowing himself to be in messed with his mind. Itachi was strong, but in that moment, he was weak. And it wasn't bothering Kisame, as he had come to the realization that strong beings are not always strong, and weak ones are not always weak. Humans contain multitudes, and that was exactly what they were, regardless of their status: Human.

 **{End of chapter three.**

 **Next chapter will be more interesting...}**


	4. Chapter 4

Kisame saw in Itachi's eyes everything that he was truly feeling. He could see the emotional mask he had been wearing was hanging by a mere thread, yet it was still hiding his face. He knew that in that moment, the Uchiha was making the decision whether or not to use the last of his energy to kill Kisame in a desperate attempt to preserve his reputation. A sly smile gradually appeared on the muscular blue-haired mans face.

"You know," Kisame began as he sat down on the edge of the bed, facing his back towards him, "You can talk to me. I won't judge you. I can imagine you're going through a lot right now, so go ahead, let it out. I won't even look at you, I'll just listen. If you want, I'll even forget it all later."

Although he was telling the truth, inside Kisame was unsure that Itachi would ever, despite the circumstances, truly open up to him, yet he was willing to give it a shot. He was more than willing, he was desperate. He wanted to be there for him emotionally, physically, and mentally. The Uchiha prodigy had always interested him, but now that he knew there was more to the man than what he had previously known, especially his illness, he was dying to gain some answers to the questions he had. How long had he been ill? When was he ever going to tell him about it? What possible illness could have made him that way? But what frightened him the most was this: Was he going to lose him? Was Itachi going to die, and if so, how soon? Kisame feared the answer. He wasn't prepared to handle that kind of news. For some reason, he never dwelled on the idea that Itachi was capable of dying, as he was usually so perfectly undefeatable. As the brawly, ferocious, hot-headed one of the pair, Kisame had subconsciously figured that he would end up being the first to die. He would never admit it to anyone, but he had grown quite attached to his comrade. To lose him would affect him greatly, however, he wasn't quite sure why. Why was Itachi so important to him? All organization and mission-related reasons aside, he would still be devastated. To never see his face again, or hear his voice, or go to traditional tea cafes with him and observe the cute way he quickly scarfed down dango, or never feel his chakra again would destroy him, and he would never be the same.

The clenching, wrenching pains found their way back into Kisame's chest, although on the outside he remained calm and cool as usual. He tried his best not to think too much about the future as he waited for a response, yet the anxiety was killing him.

Itachi was silent.

The moon, which had long since faded behind the dark clouds of the night, slowly began to reemerge from the shadows and gradually fill the dark space the two Akatsuki partners shared with a soft, luminous light. Kisame stared down at his hands, his body nearly numb as he continued to face away from Itachi. Even though the Uchiha was ignoring him, there was no way for him to ignore himself. The more time that past, the longer and harder he thought about the connection that bound his heart to Itachi's well-being. The way it throbbed as he thought about him, about the time they had shared together and the ordeals they had both endured, was so heavy he could hardly stand it. He needed at least one answer if he was ever going to stop feeling such an unusual sensation.

"Itachi," he began in the most possible normal tone with his back still facing him, "…how much longer do you have? Do you have a cure? Are you really…about to meet your end? Like this?"

The sound of Itachi's signature Uchiha snicker from behind him caught Kisame slightly off guard.

"Hmn."

The shark man turned his head just enough to match his gaze with his partner, who was surprisingly smiling. Even his eyes, free of the sharingan, were smiling.

"After all this time, nothing has changed about you, Kisame. You still talk far too much."

Every other time that Kisame heard those words from him in the past he would become annoyed, however, in that moment he felt far from it. He was relieved that Itachi was in the mood to smile, even if it was because of something idiotic he had said. That smile filled his bosom with an even more powerful, passionate warmth than before, making him unable to hide the blush that rose from his cheeks. He awkwardly coughed into his fist as he quickly looked away, forcing a loud chuckle.

"Just answer the question," he replied, "I need to prepare in advance for the sake of our mission."

Kisame could feel Itachi's warm smile burning a hole into his back, followed by his cold, gentle hand on his masculine shoulder. He shivered.

"Kisame…" the Uchiha spoke softly, tightening his grip on his comrade's rough skin and pulling it lightly. "Thank you."

 **{End of chapter four.}**


	5. Chapter 5

Kisame's heart skipped a beat.

First the Uchiha was moments from death, next he had cried, and now he was _thanking_ him? Not to mention the physical sign of affection he was displaying. His hand, although it was cold, was such bliss on Kisame's unexplored skin. It was unexpectedly comforting. He almost was tempted to hold it with his own, until he felt the hand knead him. It was followed by the other, moving in from his shoulders, to his neck, and down the core of his back. Itachi was massaging him.

Kisame didn't allow time for a single thought before he violently knocked the hands away, forced Itachi down onto his back and had him pinned into the mattress with a kunai at his neck, in one swift movement. He stared the supposed imposter down with a menacing glare as he spoke.

"Who the hell are you?! How are you able to use this kind of genjutsu?! Are you here to spy on Akatsuki?!" He pushed the edge of the kunai deeper into his neck, creating a small cut. "What have you done with Itachi?! How DARE you use him to get to me! Tell me where he is, NOW before I kill you right here!"

Even though Itachi was in immense pain from the large hunk of a man digging his knees into his legs, he still managed to speak.

"I'm right here, Kisame. I apologize. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

The missing-nin on top of him still wasn't convinced. He pushed him deeper into the bed as he looked him straight in the eye.

"You have three seconds to tell me what you've done with my partner, although I won't guarantee your life will be spared."

Itachi grinned. He was somewhat delighted to see Kisame acting so passionate about him. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"I don't expect you to believe me. All I ask is that you don't kill me just yet. There is something I have to do before my time comes. I need to face Sasuke one last time…"

Kisame slowly let his guard down at the mention of Sasuke, knowing full well that his brother was a sensitive subject for Itachi. He was telling the truth. Kisame immediately got up off of the injured Uchiha and adjusted himself next to him on the bed, finally returning his hand to his chest to restore more of his chakra. Shame and worry began to flood through him as he apologized, doing his best to heal the cut he created.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think-…"

Kisame paused to sigh deeply before continuing, making sure not to say the wrong thing.

"…I didn't know you were so…affectionate. And I didn't know you were dying. I'm sorry to have troubled you. After I've restored your chakra, I'll take my leave. I'm no medic ninja, but…"

Itachi smiled again. He lifted his hand to Kisame's cheek, lightly touching the small gills beneath his eyes, then dragging his fingers across his face down to his jaw, caressing him with his hand. His half-lidded, honest, clouded eyes locked on with Kisame's widened sharp ones. He rolled onto his side, making his body parallel with his partners. Kisame blushed.

"Please, don't leave…," Itachi began as he rested his head against Kisame's wide, bare chest, closing his eyes, "Stay with me."

Though he was baffled by the request, by the entire situation he had found himself in, Kisame didn't hesitate whatsoever before his response.

"Of course."

Itachi lowered his hand, letting it rest on Kisame's warm chest as he continued to smile. He hadn't shared an intimate moment like this with anyone, not since he was still a member of the Anbu Black Ops back in Konoha. Not since Shisui was still alive.

Shisui was also an Uchiha, but their bond was nothing less than that of lovers. Back then, they would spend as much time together as they could. Itachi would even lie about having an important, top-secret mission to his family just so he could share an evening with him. Normally they would simply conduct plans to prevent the Uchiha from starting a war with Konoha, or train together, or other important things. However, every now and then there would be a moment of peace, and they could disappear together to their secret base just outside of the village. Most of Itachi's fondest memories took place in that small, cozy base. He and Shisui shared their first kiss together there, and eventually, they made love just a few short days before Shisui's death. That night was always and forever the most precious memory he had. The night of Shisui's death had changed him forever, and the gentleness and affection he once had nearly vanished from his heart completely, until now.

In the arms of Kisame, those feelings had returned once again.

Itachi brought himself even closer to his comrade, then made a gesture for him to lower his head down. Without reluctance, he did. The sharingan user brought his lips to Kisame's ear and whispered:

"What do you think of me, Kisame?"

The man on the receiving end of the question swallowed nervously. He blinked a couple of times, thinking of how he should respond.

"Well, I…respect you. You're a powerful ally. You've aided me in numerous battles and you're the strongest member of Akatsuki. I'm glad that Leader partnered us together."

Itachi grinned as he pressed his lips against the lobe of Kisame's ear before whispering again, seductively:

"I mean, what do you think of me…?"

Kisame was frozen. Itachi was kissing his ear.

Kissing.

His.

Ear.

The former Mist shinobi breathed in heavily, a rush of warmth coursing through his veins. He didn't know what to think. He had never been in a situation like his before. He was flustered. The feeling of Itachi's lips against him tingled, sending his hormones through the roof. His heart was pounding excitedly, though he was trying his best to keep it cool on the outside. Was this really happening? He looked up at the ceiling to try and clear his head.

"Well, I…"

Itachi placed his hand on the nape of Kisame's neck, bringing him back down into the moment. Inevitably, they were making eye contact once more. Kisame swallowed again.

"I…I think…"

The Uchiha wrapped his free arm around Kisame's shoulder, coming even closer as he awaited the rest of his partners response. Kisame was shaking. He was going to say it.

"I think you're…attractive."

Itachi brought his lips back to Kisame's ear, softly biting the lobe of it, his breathing becoming heavier as he made a long, deep stroke against Kisame's back with his fingernails.

"Oh… really…?" he whispered again, his breath hot as he began to lick the spot he was biting with his warm tongue.

Kisame could hardly take it, the sensation was pure bliss. He could feel himself getting an erection. He removed his hand from Itachi's chest, having restored most of his chakra, and wrapped it around him, pulling him as close as possible. He could feel Itachi's body become warmer and warmer as well, a sign that he was feeling well again.

Itachi pulled back to share yet another gaze with Kisame. He caressed the Monster of the Hidden Mists strong jawline with both hands as Kisame placed his hands at the base of Itachi's neck, both pulling each other closer at the same momentum. Their lips met, and they both melted into one another, sharing the kiss for a full minute.

The one kiss soon became a series of many, and the night began to pass much more slowly than before.

 **{End of chapter five.}**


	6. Chapter 6

Kisame had never shared a kiss with anyone before. There were few who would even bother taking the time to get to know him, let alone take interest in him romantically, since he was deemed unattractive by most. His blue skin, sharp teeth, gilled cheeks and beady shark eyes weren't exactly inviting, despite his astounding physical prowess. There was once, however, a woman who was a part of the Mist Cypher Corps whom he had been assigned to protect back in his days as a young Kiri ninja. She showed kindness towards him, something he rarely experienced, and even invited him to dinner after the mission. The mission itself was to guard the code that all the members of the corps possessed, at any cost. They were ultimately attacked by Konoha Anbu, leaving Kisame no choice but to kill off each member, including her. Her last words to him, after hearing his explanation of why he did so, were "What a terrible existence…". He had never considered having a romantic interest since.

That is, until now.

The feeling of Itachi's lips against his was indescribable. He loved every single second of it, the way Itachi subtly nibbled his lip, the warmth of his breath, the sweet scent of his skin. Their tongues intertwined, permitting the passion to increase.

Kisame shifted his position, hovering over Itachi on all fours. His body was nearly acting on its own, but not because of the sharingan. Everything felt so perfectly natural with him, perfectly right. It was almost as though he had subconsciously waited for this moment all his life. As they continued to kiss, Itachi removed the hairtie from his hair, letting it fall all around him. His hands explored Kisame's ripped bare chest, feeling the beat of his heart as he traveled down all the muscular crevices.

The sensation of Itachi's long, soft hair falling on the back of his hand kindly alerted Kisame, causing him to back away for a brief moment. He had rarely seen Itachi's hair when it wasn't tied back, if ever. He paused to admire the sight beneath him; the panting, precious Uchiha bearing glistening black eyes and shimmering skin, with his hair pleasantly cascading in all directions. Those eyes looked up at him with all the innocence in the world, yet they also bore waves of passion and hints of lust. Kisame was completely in awe, as he lightly touched the ends of his partners silky locks.

Itachi was beautiful. Absolutely, endlessly beautiful.

He was more gorgeous than the most good-looking woman Kisame could think of. He couldn't believe it, that he was really there beneath him, and that they were sharing a moment like this. He gently caressed Itachi's face in his hand and closed his eyes as he leaned in to give him another kiss, only this one was different. It was soft, romantic, and sincere. It was a kiss of love.

As he pulled back, a stream of guilt rushed through him. Was that kiss really his to take? What was he even doing? He didn't know what he was getting into, or where it was heading. If things continued on as they were, what then? Kisame swallowed.

Were they really going to have sex?

That was certainly something Kisame was very inexperienced in, although that wasn't his main concern. He knew that Itachi was in an unusual predicament, and he couldn't help but feel that something about wanting him was wrong. Perhaps Itachi was so disillusioned from his illness that he was seeking companionship in any way he could? He was likely not in his right mind. If Kisame allowed himself to continue on and end up taking advantage of the weakened Itachi, he would never be able to live with himself. He could never do that to such a precious, beautiful being, especially one that he loved.

He was just about to open his mouth to ask Itachi where he wanted this situation to go, when the Uchiha quickly brought him closer and whispered in his right ear:

"I know what you're thinking, Kisame. It's alright. I want this. I want YOU…"

Itachi gave him another series of passionate kisses as he wrapped his arms around him, then ran his fingers through his midnight blue hair, bringing them face-to-face before he whispered again, looking deeply into his lovers eyes with unconditional trust.

"Please…" the Uchiha began softly, planting a sweet kiss on Kisame's lips, "I want you to make love to me."

 **{End of chapter six.}**


	7. Chapter 7

_"_ _I want you to make love to me."_

Those words echoed through Kisames mind a thousand times. He held his breath, and his heart stopped momentarily as he attempted to process this information.

Again, this was not a genjutsu. Itachi was sincerely asking that of him, rubbing his chest, back and neck, and gradually moving his hands further and further down his defined torso. Kisame could feel the throbbing of Itachi's warm, firm member against his thigh, making two of them. His own erection was at its peak, causing him a small amount of pain as it begged to be released from the prison of his constricting pants. Itachi had been quite attentive to that particular area, in awe of the sheer outline of it. The Uchiha let his hand make its way down the trail that led to Kisame's manhood. He could feel the heat it gave before he even touched it, sliding the palm of his hand down the front of the pulsing shaft, and then curling his fingers around the massive girth over the fabric of Kisame's pants.

The aroused Monster of the Mist gasped, finally remembering to breathe. No one had ever ventured there other than himself, and feeling the touch of another human against his large, sensitive penis was no less than pure ecstasy. Itachi joined the first hand with his second, discovering every outline of Kisame's sex, then he curled both his hands around the shaft once again and began to stroke him carefully, back and forth. Even though his clothes were in the way, Kisame's panting became more intense; the sensation of Itachi's touch was too much to bear, and his penis was quite literally pushing the waistband of his pants and underwear away from his waist, making a window to his pelvis. This provided Itachi with an impressive view of the bare member he was holding, causing him to become more excited. He quickly took advantage of the easy access Kisame's massive erection had made, reaching into the hole to lift the very impressive dick over the clothing that shielded it.

Kisame moaned, having never felt such pleasure in his life. Itachi repeated his actions again, stroking and re-discovering the areas of Kisame's sex once more, studying it with serious intent. He carefully fondled his lover's enlarged testicles, kneading them with his palm as he continued to use his other hand to gently stroke his massive shaft.

A louder moan escaped Kisame's lips, but he couldn't care less about trying to keep his passion inside. The most beautiful man in the world was stroking his cock, and he was more aroused than he had ever been in his life. The Akatsuki pair were both breathing heavily, sweat mingling with sweat as Kisame carefully removed Itachi's hands away from his cock to lean forward and kiss him passionately. They kissed for a good minute, then Kisame pulled away; this time he was the one to whisper in Itachi's ear.

"Thank you, but now it's your turn to feel good. You deserve it."

Kisame tucked his fingers in the waistband of Itachi's pants and began to pull them off, revealing the Uchiha's flawless genitalia. He removed his own, and tossed the useless clothing across the room as he sat back to yet again observe the beauty that was beneath him. Itachi's member was also quite impressive, and very, very appealing. His legs were on either side of Kisame's thighs, revealing every inch of him. The Mist ninja carefully held the shaft of the sharingan wielders penis as he backed up and lowered himself level with Itachi's pelvis, bringing the beautiful organ close to his face. This time Itachi was the one holding his breath as Kisame gently closed his mouth around the head of the Uchiha's cock, careful to keep his sharp teeth from interfering with his performance. He licked all around the circumference of the head as he began sucking, gradually making his way further and further down the slope of his shaft, until he was all the way down, deep-throating surprisingly with ease.

Now Itachi was moaning, his hand holding the side of Kisame's head as he made sounds he had never made before, in complete and total ecstasy. This pleasure was unlike anything he had ever imagined; even his time with Shisui didn't involve anything like what was happening. His eyes rolled back as he moaned even more, slightly thrusting inside Kisame's haven of a mouth as the oral sex progressed, his pleasure increasing with every second.

"Kisame, Kisame, Kisame…!"

Itachi moaned his partners name as his breathing intensified even more, clutching Kisame's hair. He could feel his testes pumping his Uchiha seed up to the tip of his penis as he was nearing orgasm, but at the rate Kisame was going he wasn't sure if he intended to take it. He exclaimed loudly as Kisame began to work even faster, kneading Itachi's extremely sensitive testicles in his palm. Itachi attempted to warn his partner of the incoming ejaculation, but there wasn't time. All he could do was desperately push him away a mere millisecond before he came, pumping his semen wherever it desired to go, including all over Kisame's chest, hands, and the lower part of his face.

 **{End of chapter seven.}**


	8. Chapter 8

Itachi's entire body was burning; his heartbeat rivaled the speed of a hummingbird's wings as he breathed in heavily, every muscle completely relaxed. His arms reached above his head to grasp the pillow he was resting on, and pulled the corners of it over his face in embarrassment. Though he had just received decadent oral sex for the first time, he somehow felt ashamed for ejaculating in such a way. Rarely did the Uchiha worry about making a fool of himself, but in this particular moment, he wanted to hide. Blush flooded his cheeks beneath the pillow that shielded him. Regardless of the immense pleasure that Kisame had given him, guilt encased his mind.

"I…I'm sorry," he muffled quietly beneath the down heap.

Kisame began to chuckle; the sight of Itachi covering his face like an embarrassed schoolgirl was undoubtedly the single most adorable thing he had ever seen. His chuckle became a laugh.

"Itachi, I loved it."

The Uchiha slowly peaked an eye through the corners of his pillow, only to quickly retreat back inside it after seeing Kisame covered in his cum.

"Itachi, don't worry about it. I like it…"

Kisame licked a spot of cum from the corner of his mouth and smiled, savouring the taste. He gathered the rest in the palm of his hand then smothered it entirely onto his massive erection, jerking the shaft of his penis lightly as he did so, giving a moan of pleasure. This caused Itachi to pull the pillow away from obstructing his view permanently. Watching Kisame masturbate was very intriguing, so much so that the Uchiha's own member became erect once again. The sight of the monster cock even frightened him slightly, yet he desired it more than anything. He wanted Kisame inside him.

Itachi sat up and gave Kisame a passionate kiss, moving a hand down to his lover's member for assistance. It really was quite large, as he couldn't wrap his entire hand around the girth of it. He was nervous, yet excited.

Kisame looked down at his aroused partner, noticing the lack of conscious in his eyes. He knew that Itachi wasn't in his usual mind, yet it bothered him. It bothered him that someone was actually attracted to him, and that they were interested in having sex with him. It was so unusual he simply could not believe it. Even though Itachi's actions were sincere, perhaps his mind was not. Juvenile as it seemed, Kisame didn't just want to have sex; he wanted to make love. He hoped for Itachi to somehow have a romantic interest in him, even though he knew it was likely impossible. He had already assumed this to be the case from the start, however, he could care less about his own feelings. He would be alright if Itachi didn't love him, or even like him in that sense, even though it would bother him. Rather, he would never forgive himself for hurting Itachi. Even if he was being used only for his body; as a release for the emotionally deprived Uchiha, he would understand. He supposed that being aroused was as good a reason to have sex as any, yet he cared for his partner. Kisame let Itachi finish kissing him before he spoke.

"Are you sure about this, Itachi? I don't want to hurt you-"

He was interrupted by yet another kiss.

"I can take it." Itachi replied smugly. Kisame's eyes bore an aura of worry as he twisted a piece of his lover's soft hair, letting go of his own genitalia as he sobered himself.

"I don't mean just physically. I…I don't want you to wake up tomorrow and regret this. I've already relieved you, so if there's no reason for you to continue on, feel free to say so. If you want me to keep going I will, but only…" he sighed deeply through his nose, remembering to filter his thoughts, "Only…if you really want me to. Only if the Itachi that was walking beside me yesterday would want this."

Itachi also sobered up some upon hearing the last bit of Kisame's concerns.

"I see." Itachi responded with a normal tone, which gave Kisame some validation.

The Uchiha let go of Kisame's member and turned away from him, letting his legs down off the side of the bed. He gazed down at the ground, having completely returned to his usual self.

"You want to continue this after tonight, don't you? You know that this can never happen again, yet you want it to. You want to be more than just my partner. You have feelings for me now…isn't that right?"

Kisame was taken aback by Itachi's response. He was absolutely right of course, but the painful reminder from Itachi himself struck him directly in his heart. It was pointless for him to lie.

"Yes. I would love that. I've always admired you, and you've always been more than my partner to me. I love you, Itachi."

Silence. He continued.

"So, I must know…please tell me. Why bother with this if you don't…don't feel anything here?" He gestured between the two of them. "I don't care if you don't feel anything. If you just need to be fucked, I understand. I can handle only having you for tonight, but don't mess with me. I don't want to lose you, Itachi. I don't want you to leave me hanging and then die on me. Just give me a reason."

Kisame did all he could to keep from crying.

"If you love me, don't leave me. I can ensure your survival, even if it kills me. Don't let yourself die, don't fight that bastard Sasuke. Fuck the mission, fuck Akatsuki. Fuck your illness. Fuck everything. Fuck…"

A single tear poured down his gilled cheek. He continued with a hoarseness in his voice.

"Nothing else matters right now. Just tell me why..."

 **{End of chapter eight. Note: updates may not be as frequent. as I will be very busy for about a month. I will update as often as I can. Don't worry, the story gets better.}**


	9. Chapter 9

He could have killed him.

In his weakness, Kisame was vulnerable. Rather than continue to explain to the man whom had poured out the contents of his heart to him the reasons he had for his actions that night, Itachi could have simply killed him; ending his suffering. Any other criminal may have done so, especially one as powerful as he. The question still remained, however, as to why exactly the Uchiha would even in his weakened state consider having sex with his longtime partner in crime? The most probable answer would be just as Kisame had guessed: To give himself a quick release before the end. But was this truly the case?

Kisame held his breath, expecting to hear just that. He was prepared to hear the answer, in the sense that he wasn't prepared at all. If his assumptions were correct, he would let himself die; if Itachi was really using him for sex without any intention of doing it ever again or sharing any special connection with him, Kisame would let him finish what he needed then allow himself to either be killed by Itachi, or commit suicide. His life thereafter would hold no meaning. If he couldn't continue his life with Itachi, he wouldn't continue living at all. He was tired of the world he lived in; the world of ever-growing lies and nothing but lies. The very air in the room was a lie. Were there ever any truths?

Itachi took a considerable amount of time to answer. The Uchiha crawled back up onto the bed and kneeled in front of his melancholy lover, taking the man's large, trembling hand in his. Another kiss was shared between them. He appeared to have been thinking very hard about what he was going to say, yet his response was surprisingly very short and to the point.

"I have a proposition." Itachi stated.

Those weren't quite the words Kisame had expected to hear right off the bat, however, his curiosity led him to suspect that maybe he was in store for a surprise.

"Go on." He replied.

For a moment, Itachi almost appeared to be hiding a tiny hint of embarrassment again. It was cute, seeing the blush in his cheeks as he was about to say something serious. Kisame felt the grip on his hand tighten, adding to the sincerity of the atmosphere.

"I've molded by brother into the person he is, and I'm not sure I can find a way to save him without doing as I had originally planned. However…if I can change that, if I can convince him of the truth, then…" he paused, breaking eye contact with Kisame for a moment.

Kisame was very curious indeed, not expecting Itachi to have changed his mind about fighting Sasuke just like that. Where was he going with this?

"…Then?" A flutter of hope was reignited within him, yet he knew not to be quick to doubt reality. However, nothing could have possibly prepared him for what he was about to hear. Itachi continued, ever failing to hide his nervousness.

"…Then, I…" the Uchiha swallowed deeply as he closed his eyes, squeezing Kisame's hand even tighter, "…I want to get married."

Had Kisame been sipping a drink at the moment upon hearing that, he would have certainly spat it out in utter surprise. There was no filter before his words any longer.

"What, married?! Married to who?!"

Itachi knew he was taking a huge shot in the dark, especially with such short notice and no planning whatsoever, but he needed to say it.

"Well, I was hoping…to you. I love you, too. We can forget Akatsuki, and this entire way of life…and run somewhere far. I've done some research, and I found there is a treatment for my illness overseas. And, um… I'd like to raise Sasuke together with you, if possible."

 **{End of chapter nine.}**


	10. Chapter 10

There comes a time in every shinobi's life where no matter how much training they've endured, or how many foes they've defeated, they eventually are caught completely off-guard and are powerless to understand what has even happened to them.

One would assume that this type situation would happen during a mission, or on a battlefield, whilst fighting an enemy. Kisame had assumed that long ago, without really thinking about it. Never in his life did he think it would happen in an old, run-down inn somewhere on the outskirts of the Land of Rivers after he ran to his dying partner's rescue and saved him in that moment, though having sex with him in the process.

As unbelievable as the events leading up to then were in the first place, Kisame had just started opening up to the idea that yes, he and Itachi were having sexual relations and yes, that they both consentually were enjoying it. That much he was able to process.

However, this situation topped off the glass. If a Biju crashed through the window wearing Mizukage Mei's whoreish outfit and started singing a love duet with Might Guy, it wouldn't even phase him due to all the shocks he received that evening.

Itachi claimed he would be willing to confront Sasuke; not in the battle to the death that he had always planned, but in an attempt to redeem the torment he caused him by explaining the truth to him, and possibly rekindling their brotherhood.

However, that wasn't the night's biggest headline.

Itachi confessed his love to Kisame.

Not only did he confess, he had also proposed, in a sense.

 _Itachi in a dashing white tailored suit. A silk ribbon tying back his silkier, raven hair. String instruments and dancing feet echoing throughout the ballroom in the backround, though none of it matters. The only thing worth paying attention to is him, the beautiful man walking closer and closer to him down the isle of the foreign mansion. He's everything. He's all that truly matters to him now. And he's his soon-to-be husband._

"ERHERHERMGRUUHERBH!"

Kisame violently forced a cough, shaking the embarrassing scene from his mind as he quickly stood up and avoided Itachi's gaze. His cheeks were a beaming shade of vermillion, and he was too tense to remember to breathe.

" _What the actual hell, how is this even happening, what the fuck should I do?! Marry? MARRY? I mean, I wouldn't mind it, but..."_

Kisame began to feel lightheaded. He wanted to continue the conversation. He felt more than happy to encourage his love to pursue his own path of happiness and change his fate, but the mention of marriage threw him off completely. Somehow he couldn't bring himself to jump for joy at the news of Itachi requiting his affections. It was all he ever wanted, yet he was unable to act as he would have liked. His stomach turned. His body was urging him to leave right then, but he needed to say _something._ He sputtered a sentence from the breath he had trapped in his lungs.

"A cure, that's great! Perfect, um...excuse me a minute."

He teleported out of sight, leaving a perplexed Itachi alone with the sleeping samehada.

The Uchiha simply blinked, having already prepared for a similar reaction in advance as he pondered his confession. He was well aware he was taking a mighty risk by bringing up a relationship topic of that magnitude so early, yet he felt uneasy and regretful all the same. Perhaps he should have kept quiet altogether.

In a symphony of scales cracking, Samehada slowly rolled into a canine-like stretch as it awoke. The living sword groggily crawled to the foot of Itachi's bed, searching for it's master.

"He needs a moment to himself," Itachi replied to the weapon's questioning gesture, "I'm afraid I've said something wrong."

 _ **{Sorry for the long absence. I also apologize for the terrible ooc...but please stay with me. I have many ideas for this ship. End of this chapter.}**_


	11. Chapter 11

The Land of Rivers was true to its name; various lakes, rivers, and streams abounded the area, and not far from the inn was the sea. Kisame chose an abandoned harbor as his place to pause and replay the events in his mind, arriving there within minutes. There were no other human beings within miles, as that particular part of the country was left mildly uninhabited. It was nearly dawn.

The salty sea air was chill and refreshing, and the gentle waves rocking back and forth along the smooth and grainy shore teased at Kisame's bare feet. He had calmed down quite a bit. The ocean had a way of helping him clear his head and find answers. In the past, each time he had questioned the authority of Kirigakure or needed to assassinate someone, he would first make a stop by the sea. It was the one place he could find real peace, real truth.

Kisame closed his eyes.

" _Itachi..."_

He thought back to a time long ago, before he knew anything about the life of a shinobi. He thought back to his childhood; something he usually desperately avoided doing. No matter how long ago it was, he could never forget it. However, he yearned to remember the face of the last person who had claimed to have loved him: His mother.

The nickname the people in the village of Kirigakure had given Kisame as a young child was "Shark Bastard". They claimed it fit well in comparison to his mother's nickname, which was "The Whore of Shark Alley". Though her actual name was unknown, the title she went by in her place of business was Tsurara. It was rumored that she had a heart of ice, and if her clients were rash or too careless, they would wind up dead. Regardless of her reputation as a harlot, she was very beautiful, graceful, and strong. Her long hair reached the lower part of her back and shone like stars in the midnight sky. Her piercing eyes were almost like those of a cat, seemingly luminescent and sunflower yellow. She held her own very well, but in reality her situation was grave.

A terrifying beast of a man traveling with a caravan from an unknown land had one day taken a stop in the village. All the members of that group were strange and animal-like, almost as if they had been experiments of some kind. Naturally, they decided to stay at the local brothel for the night. The strangest tallest, largest, and most horryfing of these man-beasts resembled some kind of humanoid sea monster. Used to getting all he desired, he requested Tsurara's services.

Her master forbid her from refusing clients that were too strong to be beaten by Kiri ninja, and as a result she reluctantly served him. The night had left her in terrible shape; though she was strong, the beast had injured her so badly that she was black and blue from head to toe. She suffered from internal bleeding for over a week. Worst of all, both of her legs were shattered to bits, and she was unable to walk ever again. She was declared unfit to continue work, and was thrown out onto the streets.

She spent close to a month at the local hospital, where she was able to be treated for her injuries, but poorly. Soon after, it was discovered she was pregnant. Knowing its origins, her doctor offered to include the fetus's termination with the bill for free, but she refused.

"This child will be strong", she replied, "My child will be the one to change this village for the better, and all this corruption will come to an end. Perhaps they will even become Mizukage..."

After Tsurara was healed, she decided to stay at the hospital and volunteer by making meals. Since she was pregnant as well as confined to a wheelchair, she regretted not being able to help the people who treated her so kindly for the first time in her life even more, but did all she could. Meanwhile, there was talk of a coup; a plot to gather a team to take out the corrupt Mizukage. Tsurara heard wind of this, and offered an injured member her assistance. An agreement was made that the team would be supplied and stationed in a hidden room in the hospital when the time came.

Months later, it was time for her to give birth. Her labor was extremely difficult without the mobility of her legs and she was in indescribable pain from the injures that still ailed her, yet she pulled through and delivered a healthy Kisame.

The nurse assisting the delivery screeched as soon as she laid eyes on him. She plopped him onto his mothers lap and swiftly backed away. "That child isn't human, that's a MONSTER!" she had exclaimed.

Tsurara held her wailing child close against her bosom, calming him down considerably. She lovingly kissed his gilled cheek and smiled the most genuine smile of her life. After having drowned out the nursing assistants shrieks for many moments, she glanced back and caressed her dear baby even closer.

"The only monster I see is you, profiling an innocent child. A person's looks are not what shapes them, it's what's in their heart. This is my son, and he is going to be the strongest, most courageous man in the world."

 ** _{End of chapter 11.}_**


	12. Chapter 12

After Kisame's birth, his mother remained bedridden. Even though she was barely mobile, she still nursed, changed, cleaned, and cared for him right there from her bed with little to no help from her nurses. To her, Kisame was the most precious being in the world, as well as a beacon of hope. The staff of the hospital wasn't so like-minded, despising the young shark boy more and more as he got older.

Three years passed, and Kisame still lived in the hospital with Tsurara, who continued to work in her wheelchair. Due to complaints from patients as well as newer staff, Kisame was never to be seen in daylight hours by those who weren't aware of him. As a result, he and his mother were usually confined to their room in the unvisted area of the hospital. He was too young to really understand it or mind it, however. After working as much as she could for quite some time, Tsurara was able to afford a fishtank to keep in their room for little Kisame's enjoyment. He loved putting his hands on the glass and watching the little fish follow his fingers. He had many toys and books as well that his mother had bought for him to keep him entertained. When the hospital wasn't very busy, Kisame was allowed to run and play through the halls with his toy sword. At night, Tsurara would read to him. Kisame's favorite thing was the sound of his mothers voice as she told him tales of pirates and mermaids and sea creatures. He loved hearing about sharks especially.

However, one night she didn't stay. She read to him until he fell asleep, then quietly slipped out of the room.

Kisame awoke to distant voices of peril and the sound of windows crashing. Since his mother was nowhere to be found, he was frightened. He slipped out of bed and peeked through the crack in the door. He could see some moving shadows across the hall, where another abandoned room was located. A small stream of blood was pouring down the hallway. Kisame had seen blood before elsewhere in the hospital when patients were badly hurt, but this kind didn't seem right. He waited until the shadows disappeared and carefully ran to the other end of the hallway, where he was met with a traumatizing sight.

Kiri shinobi were littered across the floor, drenched in blood and skewered with kunai and shuriken. They were dead.

He couldn't contain the loud gasp that escaped him when he located the remains of his mothers wheelchair, which had been smashed on top of her. Tsurara had lifted her head when she heard the sound of her son's footsteps running towards her.

"MAMA-"

She hushed him with her free hand and pulled him down out of sight. Poor Kisame was crying silently in her hand, looking at the many gaping wounds his mother was bleeding from. Weakly, she quietly whispered to him.

"I'm sorry Kisame, this is all mama's fault. Please forgive me. You need to run away from here, do you understand? Go down through the basement and go to the harbor, and get on a boat where there are other children."

He sobbed even harder. He didn't understand. He didn't want his mama to die.

She caressed his gilled cheek in her trembling hand and wiped some of his tears, making one of her famous smiles.

"I love you so much, Kisame. Don't ever forget that. You are strong."

Footsteps echoed, and the voices of the assassins crept closer and closer. Tsurara swiftly got Kisame back on his feet.

"Go, Kisame! You have to leave, NOW!"

She pushed him away and watched him flee for his life, heading down through a room adjacent to the gruesome scene. Kisame stopped running when he heard the distant sound of his mother's voice, one last time.

"Cowards! You still serve a corrupt leader because you're frightened! I hope one day you'll be smart enough to live honest lives, bastards!"

Her voice was silenced by the vibration of a blade slicing through cartilage and bone. Little Kisame held his breath. He was so young, but he understood that his mother was just killed. He tried to focus on doing as she had instructed him, but he was frozen in place. He wanted it all to be a nightmare, but it was real. Why? Why would they kill his mother?

He looked at all the bodies and weapons that surrounded him. Bodies of shinobi, the ninja warriors that protected the village. If they were killed as well, then perhaps they were siding with his mother, or viceversa. He crawled beneath a table and curled up there, and wished that he were all grown up so that he could fight the men that ended his mother's life. He imagined using his sword to tear them to pieces. He wanted to have her back, but knew that he couldn't. All that could satisfy him now was revenge.

Something gleamed briefly from the other side of the room. Kisame looked over to find a shattered katana. It was badly broken, but there was still around 11 inches of blade attached to the hilt. He slid out from beneath the table and picked it up. It was a little heavy, but he quickly got used to it as he continued to think about using it against the enemy. He swung it around a few times, mimicking jabbing and slicing. He swung it again, this time slicing the leg of the table clean off. The racket attracted the attention of an enemy shinobi, who made his way over the room Kisame was practicing in. Kisame stood quietly behind the door, waiting. His anger was growing more and more by the minute. He could feel a rush of power coursing through his body, which he would later learn was an abundance of chakra. The enemy was now right at the door.

It opened, and the enemy stepped inside. Kisame waited. The enemy turned his back to him, searching for the source of the sound by monitoring the ceiling, having missed Kisame due to his height, a mistake that would not be made again. Kisame leaped from the table and dashed at his target with his sword raised high, slashing through his opponents leg. The enemy screamed and crashed onto the ground with kunai in hand, searching around for the mysterious attacker, but he was too late. Kisame yelled as he jammed his blade straight into the enemy's chest, holding it there until the shinobi ceased moving.

The young Kisame panted heavily, and began trembling. There wasn't time for him to process the situation, as another shinobi quickly arrived and pinned Kisame against a wall. He was ready to end the poor child, when the shinobi behind him gave him orders to stop. Fuguki Suikazan stepped closer to get a better look at the shark boy.

"Interesting", was all he said.

Kisame was spared, and taken away to live within a group of young genin-level and below students that were receiving specialized training. He excelled with his sword skills and quickly rose to the top in every group he was placed in. He took the chunin exam at age 10, and by the time he was 15, he was apprenticed under the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, eventually taking the title for himself. Over time, he pushed all thoughts of his mother away. He never knew why she died, or whose side was the right side to be on, but he didn't care. All he knew of her later on were the tales people in the village would tell of her, and the nicknames they would give the both of them.

After battling with his conscience many times about the lies of the world, he ended up killing Fuguki after he was ordered to kill his comrades, even though Fuguki was selling village information to enemy countries himself. After this, he met Madara, and decided to join Akatsuki in hopes to create a world without lies. Some time after that, he was paired up with Itachi Uchiha. From the beginning, Kisame thought Itachi was an interesting specimen. He grew fond of him after learning of his past and seeing him in action on the battlefield, as well as spending plenty of alone time with him on countless missions and other tasks.

He was very fond of him indeed.

And in the current moment, he and Itachi were more than fond of one another.

 _ **{End of chapter 12.}**_


	13. Chapter 13

Kisame remembered very little about the love he had once received from his mother. A simple shadowy figure of a woman in a wheelchair and perhaps a faint glimpse of her smile was all he could ever muster from the time he naively lived in a world without pain. The clearest memory was of her death, and the simple words "I love you", followed by the battle that ensued and the first life he had ever taken. The events that shaped him into the infamous cold-blooded killer that was Kisame Hoshigaki.

As a child training in the village, those who knew of him and his devastating abilities were wise to be kind to him, or to simply ignore him entirely. The unfortunate few that weren't very wise gossiped about his strange appearance, having called him every name in the book and spread rumors about his whore mother and demon father. Every now and then, Kisame would listen in to a conversation about the results of his breeding, and how he was "crap of the crop". He did his best to ignore it, but one day people began crossing the line when he discovered a shinobi he admired believed Kisame to be the ugliest being on the planet, and therefore unable to become an asset to anyone. They were soon silenced by Kisame's blade.

The gossip all but disappeared after that, yet many of the things he heard stuck with him for most of his life, even in the current moment. He knew everyone despised him, and he was well aware that those who claimed to be fond of him were lying to simply protect themselves. He molded himself to the labels he was given: Fearsome, Monstrous, Inhuman, Beastlike, etc. His strength proved to overpower the human traits he lacked, and he was soon considered to be the strongest shinobi hailing from the Land of Water.

Kisame was so accustomed to hearing lies; so quick to assume that he was constantly a mere tool for whomever was trying to manipulate him. Never once did he consider himself to be attractive or likeable, having been referred to as ugly and terrible for as long as he could remember. He anticipated that his affection towards Itachi would be completely one-sided, and that he would never once admit it to anyone other than himself. However, he was wrong.

Itachi had said he loved him in return. Kisame's heart wanted to believe it so much, to rejoice in the fact that he was cared for, and he opened up to the possibility of it being an earnest confession, but something was holding him back. As much as he wanted to believe, he couldn't bring himself to toss away his insecurities.

" _What could a man like him possibly love about a man like me? I'm...me."_

He stared out into the vast sea, catching the first signs of the colorful approaching horizon.

" _I'm a beast, and a hideous one at that. I doubt he would willingly be seen with me in public without my cloak and hat to hide my features. Why does he…?"_

He clenched his fist and pondered all the ways he could make himself appear to be less of a shark man. He cursed himself for being born with such despicable features.

He cursed himself for being born.

Samehada slithered around the circumference of the bed back at the inn, taking whiffs of the remaining chakra trails his master had left behind. It was determined to reunite Kisame with Itachi. After all, it had enough intelligence to understand what was going on, and it knew a little something about the chakra of a person in love. After finishing its calculations, Samehada believed to have located Kisame. It excitedly sprang up sword-mouth-to-face with Itachi, who was laying in bed pretending to sleep. Samahada whined.

Itachi slowly opened one eye, as if to ask "what?".

The living sword was unimpressed. It whined back as if to say, "You know what. Your man is out there, go get him!".

The Uchiha sighed, opening both eyes this time.

"There's nothing I can do. I don't regret what I said because I meant it, I only regret that I told him too soon. I cannot simply take back my words."

Samehada's "face" consisted of only a mouth, yet somehow it still managed to look stern. Unsatisfied, it poked Itachi's head with its hilt as it growled lowly, as if to say "He's at the harbor, go get him. You need to help him love himself so that he can accept your love as well. Get up!"

Itachi covered the aching spot on his head and reluctantly sat up out of his blankets, but had no intention of actually getting out of bed. He took a deep breath before he replied dishearteningly:

"It's not that easy. I'm not capable of erasing the ideas he has of himself simply by-"

Samehada grabbed the back of Itachi's shirt with its mouth and pulled him onto the floor, hissing loudly as though it were yelling "I'm tired of your shit! Get up, head out there and be a fucking man!"

The Uchiha comically rolled across the floor and was slammed mildly against the far wall. He glared at the weapon as he arose with some difficulty, though he realized it had been right. He needed to be there for his partner, no matter what. He sighed.

"Alright. I'm going after him."

Samehada beamed with pride as it watched Itachi gather himself, then flee the inn to pursue Kisame.

"Aw yeah," Samehada uttered audibly.

It usually never spoke since it had great difficulty doing so, but this was a special occasion. The living sword gathered the few belongings of its master and wiggled through the strap of the satchel to carry it. It pitter-pattered on its four "legs" on the way to the front desk where he frightened the clerk with a big, fangy smile. It happily spat the money due for the night on the table, then carried on out the door to continue on the trail with a hop in its step.

The clerk shakily managed to squeak out a "Th-thank you..." before passing out behind the desk.

 **{End of chapter 13.}**


	14. Chapter 14

As Itachi dashed through the thick branches of the Land of Rivers scattered trees at an astonishingly quick speed, the left sleeve of his open cloak became caught on a sharp and thin piece of wood, causing the affiliated garment to tear away from his body. The beautifully symbolic removal of the item that tied him down to an organization that he currently owed not one single thought to other than a certain man didn't bother him in the slightest as he continued on, his sharingan gleaming fiercely with determination to locate his love. He thought very little about anything else, even though his weak and frail body was intent on making him stop, even if for one moment of rest. He felt a familiar and clenching pain deep within his lungs, urging the blood within them to rush up through his esophagus. He automatically expelled the crimson matter in a string of heavy coughs, though he refused to let it detour him. He would suffer any illness if it meant being together with Kisame.

The freezing air smacked against every centimeter of his exposed skin and forced its terrible icy breath into Itachi's airways, chilling him to the bone and not doing any favors for his previously already severe condition. His once dormant fever instantly became active again, causing his temperature to fluctuate rapidly the longer he remained in the cold. It soon became nearly unbearable to take each step, yet his will remained strong. He focused all of his chakra on guiding him to the dock where he would find the answer to every question he had. He sensed that he was about halfway to his destination when his vision began to fade in and out from blur to blackness. His arms and legs were shaking uncontrollably, and he was coughing so frequently that he was unable to draw a single breath for quite some time.

" _Kisame..."_

Betrayed by his own actions, his legs stopped working after hitting the next supportable surface area for him to kneel on. He could no longer think. His consciousness was all but gone, and one by one the muscles in his body began to shut down, beginning with his chest. His head guided the rest of him away from the branch he was kneeling on. As gravity began to pull him forcefully to the ground, an unfamiliar, feminine voice echoed through the trees.

"Oh, fuck!"

Itachi's consciousness had disappeared completely by the time he had fallen. A hooded black, shadowy figure quickly intercepted across the forest and caught the limp Uchiha just before the ground could claim him and carefully placed him beneath the cover of a large tree. The figure laid its ear against Itachi's chest, hoping to pick up a heartbeat, and checked for a pulse.

"Fuck. Okay, okay, don't panic, we can fix this. This is fine."

The hooded figure exhaled loudly after her self-motivating pep-talk, taking off her dark gloves then rubbing her delicate hands together. She proceeded to make various hand signs, then place her hands over the Uchihas chest as she hummed a quiet tune, sending healing chakra deep within his lungs. After many minutes, she checked his heart once again, then breathed a sigh of relief. She let down her hood, revealing a long tapestry of dark hair, very fair skin, and onyx eyes.

"Dumbass..."

A cracked half-smile painted her face with delight. She caressed his freezing cheek, then moved her palm against his temple.

"You can't keep doing this to yourself. You're blind now, idiot. If you really cared about that guy, you'd keep yourself alive, at the very least."

Itachi remained unconscious. The strange woman pressed her other palm against his other temple and began to concentrate, closing her eyes. A few moments later she opened them again, revealing what appeared to be an intracate mangekyo sharingan. She stared into his closed eyes, filling her hands with white, cloudy chakra.

"After what you did for me, I can at least help to return the favor."

The vibrations of her chakra emitted a soothing vortex-like sound as it flowed from her hands and into his optical organs, healing the extensive damage that had been done over time. His sight would likely only be improved by a significant portion, but not completely healed. The woman's eyes slowly opened as she neared the end of her healing, the sharingan in them fading from red to her original black, with a hint more of fuzziness that hadn't been there previously. When she felt that her job had been done, she removed her hands and blinked multipule times, looking this way and that.

"Damn, your vision was shit. I can barely see you clearly from where I'm sitting."

She smiled again at the unresponsive man in her care. His illness was vanquished for the time being. He was going to survive, and she was able to restore some of his sight, but at the loss of her own. Not that it really mattered. She tucked her arms underneath him and gradually picked him up, carrying him bridal-style.

"Now then, princess, let's get you to your prince."


	15. Chapter 15

Kisame sat on the edge of the dock within the harbor, resting his chin against his hands which in turn rested against his knees. He stared blankly into the rippling waters beneath him, hoping that when the tide stopped churning somehow his reflection would appear different than the one he was accustomed to. Instead of beady and piercing shark eyes, rough skin, gills and carnivorous jaws, perhaps those features would have washed away and left him with more handsome tones. He pictured himself with a smaller, more button-like nose that didn't protrude from his face like a giant shark fin. He imagined having smooth copper skin and normal bright eyes with lashes and normal teeth and soft hair and everything else that prevented him from being human, instead of what he was born with. He thought if only he were different, perhaps Itachi would have really meant what he had said…

After many long minutes, the winds began to ease and the waters became calm and still. To Kisame's dismay, the face in the sea that returned his gaze was unchanged. In fact, he felt that he looked worse than he ever had before. He truly did bear the features of some kind of monster. He remembered all the times he had frightened children and families simply by walking down the streets of nameless villages; all the stares and glares of fear and disgust he had received by all kinds of people all his life. He was the Shark Bastard. The Monster of the Hidden Mist. The Tailless Tailed Beast. There was a reason he was so despised and feared by so many, and it wasn't just his violent personality.

"Oi!"

Kisame almost thought he heard something, but he decided to ignore it. He continued sulking.

"Hey, you! Shark Attack! I think this belongs to you!"

The voice was close enough to snap him back into reality. He turned his head to see a cloaked woman holding a limp figure in her arms on the shore. He immediately stood upright and charged straight at her in a blinding fury. Not because he didn't recognize her, but because he recognized her cargo. All he knew was that a lifeless-looking Itachi was being carried around by this stranger, and this stranger was going to pay for whatever happened to him.

"No, wait!"

The woman gently placed the limp Uchiha onto the soft sand and backed away with her hands in the air. Kisame wasn't going to let up. He instinctively reached behind him for Samehada, but quickly realized that it wasn't there.

"Dude, listen, he's alive! Okay? He was looking for you, then he nearly died, but I helped him and now he's okay. Just _please_ calm down for a sec, alright?"

The information regarding Itachi's health relieved him, however, the stranger was still putting him on edge. He stopped running and stood at the base of the dock, then looked down at Itachi and verified for himself that his love was going to be alright. Once he was satisfied, he wasted no time in getting the answers he wanted. He charged forward and grabbed the woman by the throat, lifting her a few feet from the ground. Even for him, this was slightly unusual behavior, since he preferred joking around with his enemies before cutting to the chase. Itachi was the subject of this event, and he decided no risk was worth his lover's life. Before he could ask any questions, however, he felt a strong kick to his left ribs that sent him falling backwards and letting go. The woman coughed and rubbed her neck, glaring down at the surprised man with her penetratingly stern sharingan.

"Oh _HELL_ no. I just saved your boyfriends' life, the least you could have done was say 'thanks'. Ugh..."

Kisame sat up and rubbed his side, very confused. That kick was far to strong for the small effort that was put into it. And her sharingan, that was a mystery that definitely needed solving. Her features were similar to Itachi's, so she could absolutely be an Uchiha. But how?

"Who are you?" he began, "And why, er, how do you have the sharingan?"

The woman blinked a couple times in surprise, then sighed deeply in frustration as though she made a mistake.

"God damn it," she whispered, "Look, when he wakes up, I was never here. I know you have no reason to trust me, but you can't say _anything._ Damn it, I should have just left him here and waited..."

She turned her back and disappeared without a trace. Kisame pondered momentarily about the strange and mysterious sharingan-bearing girl that brought Itachi back to him and who she could be, then realized that it wasn't his priority. He quickly crawled over to Itachi's side and gently lifted him against his chest, holding his head. His skin was cold, but he was breathing smoothly. Kisame held him close and rubbed his arms repeatedly to create friction and keep him warm and then briefly kissed his forehead.

" _Thank God you're alright."_

Kisame almost began to tear up. He didn't immediately acknowledge it, but when he saw Itachi limp in a strangers arms and unconscious, he was terrified. His greatest fear in all the world had been realized yet again, and that was the possibility of losing Itachi Uchiha forever. As he held the love of his life in his arms, he made a vow to himself that he would always adhere to: To protect him, no matter what. Nothing would stop him from preserving the life of the person he cherished most.

Kisame felt a slight tug on the fabric of his pants. Itachi was gripping onto them. He watched as Itachi slowly opened his eyes and looked up at him, still a bit delirious from his adventure. Kisame smiled.

"How..." Itachi began, "How did I get here?"

Kisame chuckled.

"It doesn't matter. You're safe. How are you feeling?"

Suddenly, Itachi's face was filled with surprise. He blinked over and over again thousands of times, raising his brow and never taking his eyes off of Kisame. He quickly sat up, still making consistent eye contact. Kisame raised his brow as well, concerned.

"What, what is it? Is there something on my face?"

Itachi kept staring at him. He backed up, then looked away to the trees for a moment, then down to his hands, then out to the sea, then back to Kisame, where his eyes remained fixated for quite some time. Step by step, he slowly made his way closer to him, still never lifting his gaze. Soon they were only inches apart. Itachi took Kisame's right hand in his left, then brought it up to his chest. He was silent.

"..."

The silence was finally broken by what seemed to sound like a tiny sob that escaped from Itachi's throat. He breathed in heavily, then brought his other hand up to Kisame's cheek, which he lovingly caressed. He smiled in awe.

"I..."

Kisame was unsure what was happening, yet he could sense that something was different. He squeezed Itachi's hand lightly and waited for him to continue.

The Uchiha was now holding back tears, however, they weren't the sad kind. This was just the opposite. A teardrop escaped and glided swiftly down his now warm cheek as he looked Kisame directly in his eyes. He let another small sob escape as well, and then a tiny chuckle.

"Kisame..."

He closed his eyes for almost a minute as more tears fell, then opened them, moving a wisp of Kisame's hair from his face.

"Kisame, you...you're...handsome. I can see you, and..."

He let out another delighted sob.

"You're so handsome. I've never seen you this clearly before. I...I don't what happened, but...I can _see."_

Kisame looked deep into Itachi's eyes. He was right, they were no longer clouded or grey. Somehow, Itachi's sight really had been restored. He remained silent. He was speechless.

Itachi enveloped Kisame in a warm, sensual embrace. Kisame wrapped his arms around him in return, unsure of what else to do or say. He was still trying to wrap his mind around it. Itachi pulled away from him and stepped back, wiping the tears from his face. He realized that he probably looked like a complete fool, especially after what he had said back at the inn. He hid his smile and regained his usual demeanor.

"I came here to apologize about what I said..." He finally stated.

Kisame was still silent, yet we was listening intently. Itachi continued.

"About...uh..."

He swallowed nervously.

"About wanting to raise Sasuke with you and...um... _marrying_ you."

He had to force the last part out. He held his breath for a moment, then resumed his apology.

"It was very foolish of me to say that. Not that I wouldn't like to, I simply...I was trying to express my feelings for you. I was being very stupid. I understand completely that you were made uncomfortable by it and you have every right to feel that way because it was uncalled for and I don't intend for you to feel like that is what I want from you and I-"

His rant was cut short by Kisame's lips being pressed against his. Itachi relaxed and closed his eyes. Kisame held him close as the horizon's many colors beamed brightly against the both of them. Eventually they broke away.

"Don't apologize," Kisame finally replied, "But is it true that you think I'm handsome? I mean..."

This time it was Itachi's turn to pull Kisame in for a long, sensual kiss.

"Do you really have to ask?"

Kisame shrugged a bit, grinning foolishly.

"I suppose you must like me for _something_."

The both of them chuckled and continued their passionate kiss. Far away up in the trees, a prideful smile appeared beneath a dark hood.

"Now this is why I do what I do. May you both find happiness."

And with that, she disappeared for certain.


End file.
